All posts tagged: Windows

I left Windows to escape preinstalled bloat, and then I found it on Linux

I left Windows to escape preinstalled bloat, and then I found it on Linux

Published by skeptic

One of many reasons for escaping Windows (as I assume is for a majority of us as well) was to get rid of unnecessary pre-installed packages. This is especially true for laptops, which come with a lot of junk. Even then, Windows just seems to never stop getting in your way. Be it forced updates, interrupting adverts or a general push to annoy the user in the most trivial way possible, there’s a lot that Microsoft could learn from the open-source community. Using KDE as my desktop environment had so far been a breeze on CachyOS, or so I thought. Don’t get me wrong — I love KDE, but I also seemed to notice that it pulled in a ton of dependencies along the way. For me, this pet peeve was enough to grind my gears. Related 5 programs you need to know about as a Linux user Linux is more than a backup OS, and these programs prove it. Exploring the “bloat” within Linux KDE is a pretty bad offender If you’ve ever carefully …

I changed one Windows Update setting and stopped random bandwidth slowdowns completely

I changed one Windows Update setting and stopped random bandwidth slowdowns completely

Published by skeptic

For a few weeks, it seemed like my internet was slowing down, especially when I had the most work to do. This happened in the middle of large downloads or on Discord calls. It got more confusing because internet speed tests looked fine, and I assumed it was safe to rule out a Windows issue. I started blaming my ISP because restarting the router would temporarily fix it. After about a week of investigation, I traced this issue to the Delivery Optimization feature on my computer. I’ll show you why it was a problem and how I fixed it. What Delivery Optimization was doing behind the scenes Windows was sharing update data long after updates had finished downloading Afam Onyimadu / MUO Delivery Optimization is a useful feature of Windows. It allows your PC and other computers on the same network to download or share portions of updates and apps, rather than downloading the entire thing from Microsoft’s servers. However, you will not see any notifications or taskbar icons when your device is uploading fragments …

This one Windows power setting will make your NVMe SSD even more snappier

This one Windows power setting will make your NVMe SSD even more snappier

Published by skeptic

I recently switched to a WD Black M.2 SSD as the primary drive on my gaming PC. I was using an HDD earlier, so, of course, I expected a lot of performance gains and faster load times on my video games. That happened. However, I began noticing delays and brief stutters in daily usage, as well as random freezes when launching video games. It wasn’t constant, but enough to make me look deeper and figure out why it was happening. The culprit behind the stutters was a power setting that resulted in the SSD napping on the job, or more accurately, napping in-between jobs, A Windows power-saving feature is the culprit With great power saving comes great latency Over the years, it’s become tricky to find a sweet spot between battery life and performance on Windows PCs. It’s because Microsoft has aggressively dialed up Windows’ power-saving features. While this has its advantages: you spend less on electricity, and laptops have better battery life, it does cause performance issues that discerning users will easily notice. By …

Use Tiny11 to Rescue a Computer Running Windows 10

Use Tiny11 to Rescue a Computer Running Windows 10

Published by skeptic

It’s the end of the road for Windows 10—at least, in terms of its official end-of-life point, as determined by Microsoft. The operating system will keep working, but it will be much less secure, and won’t get any more updates or security patches (unless you pay Microsoft to extend support for another year). If you’re still on Windows 10, and you don’t meet the minimum requirements for Windows 11—which many older PCs don’t—then there is a potential solution in the form of Tiny11. This unofficial, stripped-down version of Windows 11 cuts out the clutter for a leaner, more lightweight experience, and it can run on machines that don’t support the full-fat Windows 11 released by Microsoft. It’s not just a potential option for those upgrading from Windows 10—it’s something that anyone who’d like a less bloated version of Windows 11 can try. Do bear in mind though that it isn’t endorsed by Microsoft, so there are some caveats to consider, which we’ll get into below. What Is Tiny11? The history of Tiny11 goes back many …

These Android apps make my phone feel like a Windows Phone and I am obsessed

These Android apps make my phone feel like a Windows Phone and I am obsessed

Published by skeptic

Before smartphones settled into today’s Android-versus-iOS duopoly, there was a third platform that inspired a devoted fanbase: Windows Phone. It stood out for being bold and different, anchored by the Metro UI, which is a clean, tile-based interface that made every other smartphone home screen look cluttered by comparison. Live Tiles flipped and breathed with real-time information, and typography was king. When Microsoft officially discontinued Windows Phone in 2017, it left behind a design void that neither Android nor iOS has really addressed since. Most people eventually moved on to other platforms because they had to. Some of us, though, never fully got over it. I definitely fall into that second category, and lately I’ve been scratching that nostalgia itch by hunting down apps that recreate pieces of the old Windows Phone experience. Related I tried living with a Windows Phone in 2025 and it worked better than I expected Oh, how I’ve missed this long-lost phone OS. METROV Launcher The ghost of Lumia, resurrected METROV may already be the most convincing Windows Phone launcher …

A Linux distro once got too close to Windows, and Microsoft came for it

A Linux distro once got too close to Windows, and Microsoft came for it

Published by skeptic

Back in 2001, a tiny startup launched an operating system called Lindows. It was a genuinely ambitious idea: take Linux, add on a compatibility layer for Windows apps, and then sell the resulting OS for cheaper than Windows itself. The name was both a pitch and perhaps the seed of its eventual downfall. Microsoft noticed immediately, and started a two-and-a-half-year legal battle that threatened to unravel one of Microsoft’s most valuable trademarks altogether. What Lindows actually was A Linux distro designed to poach Windows users Credit: Abhishek Kumar Mishra/MakeUseOf | Microsoft Founder Michael Robertson (who already sold MP3.com to Vivendi Universal for $372 million) started Lindows in San Diego in August of 2001. His main goal was to create a Linux distribution that could run major Windows apps without forcing users to leave Linux entirely to do so. Lindows used Wine for this task, a compatibility layer that’s still in use today that translates Windows API calls into Linux compatible equivalents on the fly. Wine was around since 1993, but Linux users had to configure it …

This rugged Windows tablet handles mud and rain – but didn’t impress with the basics

This rugged Windows tablet handles mud and rain – but didn’t impress with the basics

Published by skeptic

pros and cons Pros Ruggedized package that’s ideal for heavy outdoor use. Runs Windows 11 and Copilot+ features. Lots of expansion possibilities. Cons Expensive. Heavy. Screen is a bit dim in bright light. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. While laptops and PCs dominate the office space, they’re not always the best form factor for taking compute power out of the comfort and safety of the workspaces. This is where tablets come into play. They’re not only more portable than laptops or desktops, they’re far easier to ruggedize. Sure, performance isn’t as good as what we’d expect from a more traditional system, but thanks to modern processors, the power that can be packed into a tablet is still pretty amazing. Also: Cable, cords, and adapters I never throw away – and why these accessories are worth saving The Getac G140 is a tablet that’s been built from the ground up to be powerful enough to run Microsoft’s Copilot+ AI tools, but also tough enough to survive rough handling by Mother Nature. Best …

Finally, a Great Free Radio App for Windows

Finally, a Great Free Radio App for Windows

Published by skeptic

You can also add stations manually, which is useful if a station you like doesn’t come up in the built-in search. For this you’ll need to find a link to the PLS file used by the station—this is what allows Trdo to find the radio station. Many online radio stations offer these links freely on their websites, just look for the streaming links section. If you can’t find a link to the stream don’t worry: There are websites that collect them. I recommend checking out Public Radio Fan, a database of public radio stations from around the world, or InternetRadio, which has a more expansive collection of streaming links. Courtesy of Justin Pot Left-clicking the tray icon, by default, pauses or plays the current station. Right-clicking it opens the pop-up window. You can reverse this in the settings, if you prefer. You can also pause or play the current station using the pause button on your keyboard, if you have one. You can’t change the station using the Next or Previous buttons, which is disappointing. …

5 Windows background services you can safely disable right now

5 Windows background services you can safely disable right now

Published by skeptic

Windows runs hundreds of background services by default, and many of them continue to run even if you don’t use the features they’re tied to. Of course, some of these are important for keeping the OS stable. But then there are also others that simply waste memory, storage, bandwidth, and CPU resources without benefiting you in a meaningful way. The good thing is Windows lets you disable the services that you don’t want. For that, simply open the Windows Services app, double-click the service, and set the Startup type to Disabled. Then, hit Apply and you’re done. Related Windows was throttling my internet until I found these 5 settings Your internet might already be fast, Windows just isn’t letting it feel that way. Connected User Experiences and Telemetry Stop Microsoft from collecting data Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required It’s no secret that Microsoft loves collecting user data. That’s why one of the first things you should do after setting up your PC is review important privacy settings and turn off anything you …

The EU Is Going Through a Trump-Fueled Breakup With Big Tech

The EU Is Going Through a Trump-Fueled Breakup With Big Tech

Published by skeptic

As tensions between President Donald Trump and Europe continue to simmer, the continent is accelerating its moves to reduce its addiction to US technology. Cities and governments are ditching Microsoft Office for open-source alternatives, shifting to European cloud hosting for local AI, and moving defense data to systems without American involvement. Nowhere has this been more clear than in France. Over the last few months, the French government has sped up its efforts to develop and deploy its own technology for government officials. The country has, arguably, emerged at the head of Europe’s growing digital sovereignty push, which aims to cut some reliance on US-based technology over concerns around data security, the Trump administration’s unpredictability, and changing prices. French budget minister David Amiel recently called for the state to “break free” from American systems and use those it can control. “We are not just explaining what we want to do,” Stéphanie Schaer, the head of DINUM, France’s digital transformation ministry, tells WIRED over a call on the nation’s video-calling platform Visio. “We already did it …